There are five teams that figure to be in contention for the Eastern Conference crown come playoff time, and a pair of them will face off on Christmas Day. The Boston Celtics have been playing well of late and will welcome in the Philadelphia 76ers.
These two teams are super talented and each believes it has what it takes to make a push for the NBA title. The home court advantage in a playoff series can sometimes be a big key and these teams are jockeying for position alongside the Raptors, Bucks and Pacers.
This is an important game for the 76ers and Celtics as it is both a help in the standings and also a confidence boost. Philadelphia has a slightly better record but Boston is at home and will likely be the favorite in NBA wagering.
This NBA basketball game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics will be held at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts at 5:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 25th, 2018. The game will be nationally televised on ABC.
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Odds Analysis
The 76ers have a record of 21-12 on the season. They have been below average on the road with only six victories in 15 attempts. Philly has been great at home but will likely need to improve in hostile environments to truly have a shot at winning the East come playoff time. A victory in this one would be a nice step in the right direction.
The Celtics are 18-12 on the year. They have turned it on of late with eight wins in their past 10 games to rejoin the teams at the top of the conference. Boston has gone 9-4 at home on the season and will look to build upon that.
Injury Report
The Celtics have been without power forward Al Horford for an extended stretch as he deals with a knee injury. Horford is a key piece to the puzzle as he is averaging 12.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and plays tough defense. Horford may not put up eye-popping stats but he does a lot of the little things that championship teams need. Check back to see if there is any chance that Horford plays. He would certainly be a welcome addition as the Celtics try to contain 76ers star Joel Embiid down low.
Boston forward Marcus Morris missed a recent game with an ankle injury but he is expected to be available for this one.
Previous Matchup
These two teams met to open the season an it was no contest as the Celtics cruised to a 105-87 win. Jayson Tatum led the way with 23 points and nine rebounds and Boston overcame some rusty showings from Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.
The 76ers got good performances from stars Embiid and Ben Simmons but they got almost no help. Philadelphia has a third elite player now after it acquired Jimmy Butler in a trade and the 76ers should be able to stick closer in this one.
Philadelphia shot only 39 percent from the field in the first matchup and Boston’s tough defense will aim to make life tough on the 76ers once again.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Celtics dealt with some inconsistency early on but is at home and rounding into form. Look for Boston to really take off now that it has ironed out some kinks. The 76ers are not going to be as sloppy as they were in the opener but an upset win is a little too much to ask.
The Celtics have the superior team and should come away with the victory in NBA gambling.
NBA ATS Pick: Boston Celtics 110, Philadelphia 76ers 103
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